Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been arrested during a demonstration in central London, authorities confirmed.
Footage shared by the Prisoners for Palestine protest group showed the 22-year-old holding a sign reading “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide” outside the offices of Aspen Insurance. The group claims the company was targeted due to its services to Israeli-linked defence firm Elbit Systems.
Two activists sprayed red paint over the front of the building before police arrived and made arrests.
Six prisoners linked to Palestine Action are currently refusing food in British prisons. Qesser Zuhrah, 20, Amu Gib, 30, Kamran Ahmed, 28, Heba Muraisi, 31, Teuta Hoxha, 29, and Lewie Chiaramello, 22, have all refused meals as part of a campaign to pressure the Government to lift its ban on Palestine Action.
The group has been accused of involvement in break-ins at a UK factory operated by Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, Elbit, near Bristol, as well as a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire last year, during which two military planes were spray-painted. They are calling on the Government to end the ban on Palestine Action, lift restrictions on their communications, and close Elbit.
Lawyers representing the activists have criticised Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy for declining to meet them. They argue Lammy has failed to comply with the Ministry of Justice’s own policy on handling hunger strikes.
Two hunger strikers, Kamran Ahmed and Amu Gib, were recently hospitalised after more than 40 days without food, their health reaching a critical point.
Prisoners for Palestine said today’s protest in central London was held in solidarity with the hunger strikers.
A City of London Police spokesperson said: “At around 7am this morning hammers and red paint were used to damage a building on Fenchurch Street.
“A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They glued themselves nearby and specialist officers are working to release them, and bring them into police custody.
“A little while later, a 22-year-old woman also attended the scene. She has been arrested for displaying an item (in this case a placard) in support of a proscribed organisation (in this case Palestine Action) contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.”
